


Wide Open Spaces

by twdsunshine



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prison, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-03-19 18:22:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18975799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twdsunshine/pseuds/twdsunshine
Summary: Sequel to In Dark Corners [https://archiveofourown.org/works/17865356].Prison AU.  Everything changed for Alexa the day of the riot.  It filled her with two things: terror and certainty.  Afraid to go to work, she channels her energy into freeing a man she knows is innocent of any crime, a man that saved her life.  But it will be the biggest risk she’s ever taken and, whether or not she succeeds, it will change both of their lives forever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh, I’m so excited to be continuing Alexa’s story! I knew as I was writing In Dark Corners that I wouldn’t be ready to let this AU go when it ended, and here we are! Welcome to the sequel! Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy!

The sun was shining.  It beat down on the top of Alexa’s head, setting her coppery waves on fire as she let the door of her car fall closed, slipping her shades over her eyes and hitching her bag up her shoulder as she headed for the park.  She didn’t know the town well, had struggled to find where she needed to be, and hence she was running late as she climbed over the guard railing that separated the grass from the parking lot and skirted around the edge of an amateur game of baseball that had sprung up in the centre.  A single young boy charged around the bases – just sweatshirts positioned on the ground several metres apart – as the others rushed to retrieve the ball.  Their laughter and urgent calls brought a small smile to her face, and it remained there as she continued on, heading for the shaded canopy of the tree that stood over in the far corner and the lone bench beneath.

She could see, even from a distance, that the bench was already occupied.  A shadowy figure sat at one end, long legs spread, elbows resting on his knees, and she swallowed hard, steeling herself for the confrontation to come.  She wasn’t sure what exactly she was walking into, couldn’t gauge the man’s attitude by the brief phonecall they’d shared to arrange this meet, but she’d already resolved that she wasn’t leaving this place until she’d convinced him to help her.  So, she forced her smile to grow, kept her shades in place and forged on, raising a hand to wave as she drew closer and his features came into focus.

Hooded eyes met hers, and a dark glower raised goosebumps over her skin, but she refused to let her discomfort show as she settled herself on the bench at his side.

‘Merle Dixon.  You’re not an easy man to find.’

‘Maybe that’s ‘cause I didn’t want to be found.’  His voice was gruff, and she guessed it might be a result of hard drinking and one too many cigarettes going on the bitter whiskey scent that emanated from him.  Her time at Carrington had given her a sixth sense about people, particularly men, and it was warning her now that this one could be dangerous.  She couldn’t help but wonder how he could possibly be related to the more gentle man that she’d come to love, and, as an image of Daryl swam through her mind, she forced herself to remain cool.  He was why she was here, and she needed to remember that.  

In fact, Daryl Dixon was was the reason for pretty much everything she’d done over the past few months.  Following the riot that had turned her life upside down and resulted in his confinement to a single solitary cell, her life had taken a dramatically different path than she ever could have pictured, and so far that had led her here, to the jaded redneck who was still glaring at her now.

‘Yeah, well, I needed to track you down.  I needed to see you.’

‘So ya said on the phone,’ he snarled.  ‘What I don’t understand is how ya got my damn number in the first place?  Care to let me in on that little secret?’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ she insisted.  ‘I’m here to talk about your brother.’

‘Ya said that too.’  His tone was harsh still, bordering on aggressive, yet the mention of his family had softened his hard stare, and he leaned back, pulling out a lighter from his pocket and flicking it absentmindedly.  ‘He alright?  He ain’t had his ass kicked in there, has he?  Told him he ain’t cut out for life behind bars, but it’s not like he listens to me.  Ya from the prison?’

‘I am,’ she admitted, sucking in a deep breath before continuing.  ‘My name is Alexa Rushmore and I’m one of the doctors at Carrington.  I’ve spent a lot of time with Daryl since…’

‘Since he got himself locked up?’

‘Right.’  She fidgeted uncomfortably, finally removing her shades and holding them in her hands, fiddling with them as she went on with her explanation.  ‘He got hurt.  Pretty bad too.  Could’ve died.  I saved him and after that he spent a lot of time on my ward.  I got to know him pretty well.’

‘Oh, shit, doc.’  Merle shook his head, genuine amusement lighting his face.  ‘You tellin’ me my brother gets his ass thrown in jail and he still manages to land himself a pretty little skirt like you?  Didn’t think he had it in him.’

Embarrassment flushed Alexa’s cheeks, and she looked away, back towards the game, as she sought to collect herself.  It wasn’t like that, had never been like that, but she wasn’t sure a guy like Merle was capable of understanding the connection that had been forged long before anything physical had occurred between them.  ‘He saved me too.  There was a riot. A lot of people died.  You must’ve seen it on the news.’

‘Ah, I don’t pay much attention to that kinda shit.’

‘Well, it was bad.  And your brother, he… He looked after me.  He got me out.  If it hadn’t been for him, I would’ve…’  She tailed off.  The nightmares hadn’t stopped.  She wasn’t sure they ever would.  Each time she closed her eyes, she was haunted by the vision of Shane standing over her, the feeling of his fingers wrapped around her throat as she fought for breath, the panic she felt at the shadowy sensation of death lurking nearby.  And so, she’d kept busy, plotting and planning, and it had all brought her to this moment.  She couldn’t waste it, not now.  ‘He saved my life.  That’s the short version.  But the people in charge, they don’t believe that.  They’ve locked him in solitary and he’s been in there for… For too long.’

‘Well, that’s one hell of a story, girl, no denying that.’  He almost looked impressed, almost, but then he lifted his hands up to cradle the back of his head and arched an eyebrow at her, questioning.  ‘But I still ain’t sure exactly what brings you to my neck of the woods. So, baby brother’s got himself chucked in solitary.  What am I meant to do about it?’

Alexa had expected anger.  Maybe frustration.  Definitely guilt.  This passive attitude and air of nonchalance was puzzling to her, and for a moment all she could do was stare at the elder Dixon as disappointment washed over her.  Her silence was enough for Merle to lose patience, and he eased himself to his feet with a shake of his head, ready to walk away, until something in her snapped, and she found herself biting out, ‘I know he’s innocent.’

When he turned back towards her, his face was a mask, emotionless, and she knew she’d touched a nerve.  ‘Is that right?’

‘He told me.  He told me what really happened that night.  He told me that it was you that killed your father, not him.’

‘Well, then, considering that ya know exactly what I might be capable of, you’re either brave or stupid for coming up here and throwing accusations like that in my face.’

‘He told me you did it to save him, Merle.  And then he took the fall to save you.  It sounds like you’d both do pretty much anything for each other, and that… That’s why I’m here.’

‘You better tell me what you’re talking about right the hell now or I’m gonna-‘

‘What?’  She sprang to her feet, closing the distance between them as her temper frayed. She’d pinned so much on this meeting, all of her hope, the plans she’d made, and it felt as if it was all slipping through her fingers.  ‘What are you gonna do?  Your brother loves me, Merle, I’m pretty sure, and I love him, and I came here to ask you for your help, so would you please, for one second, just stop being such a monumental ass and listen to me?’

Merle’s jaw tightened, as if was gritting his teeth, biting back a retort, but he remained silent, so, after a pause, Alexa continued.

‘Daryl’s in there because of you, and he’s in solitary because of me.  We owe him.’

‘And what exactly do you propose we do about that?’

This was it.  This was the biggest risk, and she drew herself up tall, holding his gaze as she fought to keep the waver from her voice.  ‘I’m going to break him out of there.  And you’re gonna help me.’

 

* * *

 

The slot below the grill in Daryl’s cell door slid open and a faceless voice called, ‘Dinner!’  A tray was shoved through the slot towards him and he took it with disinterest, tossing it into one corner without paying it any mind.  It wasn’t that he consciously wasn’t eating, as such.  Just that his appetite had abandoned him, along with any hope, a while ago.  From what he could work out, he’d been locked away in isolation for around three months, and it had been ten weeks since he’d seen Alexa.  Seventy days.  Over sixteen hundred hours.  He could feel every one of them.

Lexi.  The doc that had saved his life, kept him sane, brought him some kind of peace in this hellhole.  It wasn’t like him to fall for anyone hard and fast, to fall for anyone at all actually, but he had with her.  She’d seen right through the mask he wore for the rest of the world, and he’d been glad of it, even if it had terrified him at first.  It had taken him a while to let her in, but, when he had, she hadn’t clammed up, walked away, like he expected.  If anything it had brought them closer, and she’d opened herself up to him, let him touch her, taste her…  He held on to that memory, taking it out in the dark of the night and finding comfort in the feeling of her wrapped around him.  But, of course, it had been over too soon, and now he was stuck in here and she was God knows where.

Mike, one of the guards, had told him that she’d been signed off with stress.  He could believe that.  The last time he’d seen her she’d looked wretched, pale and drawn, dark circles painting the skin beneath her eyes.  He knew what it was like to be haunted and he’d recognised the signs easily.  And then she’d started talking rubbish, stupid shit about getting him out of there, and he’d known that she’d been casting around for a distraction, a focus to keep her going.  There was no way, he wasn’t stupid, but he’d liked that she at least wanted to, that she believed his innocence when nobody else would.  He wondered how she was doing now, whether she was still off, whether she’d ever come back.  And he missed her.

The other figure that invaded his dreams was his brother.  He’d taken the fall for Merle when he’d taken down their asshole father, saving Daryl’s life in the process.  It had made sense at the time, and it had brought him to his girl, so he could never regret it, but at the same time, he wondered just what his big brother was doing now.  By pleading guilty, accepting the blame, letting himself be branded a murderer, Daryl had given him a second chance, and he hoped he wasn’t wasting it.  Maybe he’d gotten clean, set up somewhere new, was building a life for himself.  He hoped so.  Life for one of the Dixon family should be going well.  Surely, one of them must’ve earned a break.

The corridor filled with the sounds of plastic cutlery scraping and the chewing of multiple hungry men as his fellow inmates tucked into their meals, and Daryl shifted further down his bunk so he could roll onto his side and face the wall.  He squeezed his eyes tight shut and cushioned his head with his arm as he waited for sleep to take him.  It was still early, too early really, and he was sure he’d wake long before dawn to a cacophony of snores, but it was the only real peace he had these days.  And, as the darkness stole over him, he heard her voice, the last words she’d spoken to him as she’d walked away.

_‘I’ll tell Merle you said hello.’_

He still hadn’t figured out exactly what that meant.


	2. Chapter 2

‘So, that’s the plan.  What do you think?’ **  
**

Alexa watched as Merle’s gaze combed over the papers and maps spread out across the bed of the cheap motel room.  He’d been silent up till now, listening intently as she ran through the details she’d discovered about the prison structure, her knowledge of staff shift patterns and patrol routes, and ideas of how they just might take advantage of her position to get Daryl where they needed him to be.  It had taken the best part of three months for her to compile all of the information, reading through it over and over, running through countless possibilities in her head until she came up with something that might just work, and she waited with bated breath to see what the elder Dixon might make of her solution.

After confronting him in the park the previous day, Merle had still been resistant.  But her words had been enough to pique his interest, maybe for his brother’s benefit, or maybe because he really was just drawn to trouble.  It could have been either, but Alexa didn’t care.  He’d agreed to sit down for a drink with her, knocking back the best part of a bottle of whiskey while she sipped at her wine, and the next morning he’d been knocking at her door, ready to hear her out.

‘Gotta say,’ he said now, finally raising his head to fix her with a lopsided grin.  ‘That’s mighty impressive work, it is.  I just got one question for ya, doc.’

He rounded the bed towards her, eyes flashing when she took a hasty step backwards.  ‘What?’

‘How exactly do you think you’re gonna pull all this off when ya can’t even take a step inside your office without having a full-blown meltdown?’

She bristled, her hackles rising as heat reddened her cheeks, and an involuntary tremor ran down her spine.  ‘I’ll be fine.’

‘You sure about that, sweetheart?’

‘Yes,’ she snapped.  ‘I have to be.’

 

* * *

 

_It was strange how a place so familiar could somehow feel so foreign.  Alexa took another tentative step forwards, letting the door to the medical centre swing shut behind her as she cast her eyes around the clinical white walls and plastic chairs.  She knew in her heart that it was the same room she walked through every day on the way to her office, that she’d spent many hours in there, fetching supplies, relieving the guards of their patients and chatting with Yvonne, but it all seemed like another lifetime now._

_Yvonne._

_If she closed her eyes she could almost imagine the bright-eyed nurse bursting out of the ward, wide hips swinging, calling a warm greeting as she went about her day.  She’d been more than a colleague.  She’d been a friend, sharing stories of her family and offering Alexa advice when she needed it, whether she wanted it or not.  Her presence had made the days tick by a little quicker and brought a smile to the doctor’s lips even after the hardest shift, and it didn’t quite seem possible that she was gone._

_‘Hey, you doing alright?’_

_Alexa was startled from her memories by the sound of Doctor Anderson’s voice, and she nodded slowly, lifting her head to meet his gaze where he stood in the office doorway, ready to leave as soon as she got set up.  He’d gotten caught up in the violence too, though he’d been lucky to escape with a few broken fingers and some bruised ribs.  He could have taken longer to recover, but he’d been insistent that he’d rather get back to work.  She couldn’t help but wonder why.  He was only a temp anyway, covering while the other full-time doctor was off on long-term sick.  He didn’t have to be here.  And yet, here he was._

_‘I’m fine,’ she reassured him, hitching her bag further up her shoulder and forcing a smile as she crossed the waiting room towards him, waiting for him to move aside so she could step into the office and deposit her stuff on the desk.  ‘How’s it been?’_

_‘Quiet,’ he told her.  ‘Ward’s empty.  Had a migraine in earlier, and a burn from the kitchen, but nothing serious.  Whole place seems to be in shock.’_

_‘Yeah.’  She didn’t have anything else to say to that, so she turned her back, shrugging off her jacket and folding it over the back of the chair.  ‘How are you healing up?’_

_‘Ahh, I’ve had worse.  What about you?’_

_‘I’m fine.’  She felt his gaze flick to the wound on her head, vivid against her pale skin.  She knew it would leave a scar, and she hated the constant reminder of what had happened each and every time she looked in the mirror.  ‘It’s good to be back.’_

_‘It is?’_

_‘Sure.’  She shrugged.  ‘I’d rather be busy, y’know?  Beats sitting around at home just… reliving it all.’_

_Dr Anderson cleared his throat, ducking his head as he asked the question that had really been on his mind.  ‘How was it?  Yesterday, I mean.  I wanted to be there but, I thought, it was only fair that you should get to go.  You’ve been here so much longer than I have and I know you were close.’_

_‘It was… It was fine.’  She was overusing that word, she knew.  She was fine.  It was fine.  Everything was going to be just fine.  But she didn’t know how else to describe the simple service that had bid goodbye to their colleague.  How could she put into words the feeling of watching Yvonne’s daughter sob silently into a handkerchief, while her little boy, Yvonne’s grandson, tried to make some sort of sense of what was going on.  How she could explain the emotions she’d felt shaking Reggie’s hand and giving her condolences, knowing that he’d lost the woman he’d chosen to spend his life with.  He was now facing a long, empty retirement without her, and it was the furthest thing from fine.  ‘It was nice.  They said nice things.  They’d picked a nice spot by the river to bury her.  It was fine.’_

_‘Well, that’s good.  I’m glad it was a nice day for her.’_

_‘I’m glad I could go.  Thank you for covering here.’_

_‘Oh, please, it was the least I could do.’_

_This time, Alexa’s smile was genuine, though it felt strange on her face, and her fingers sought out one of the files on the desk, absentmindedly fiddling with a curled-up corner as she waited for the other doctor to leave.  When he didn’t, she couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.  ‘Why did you come back here?’_

_‘What?’_

_‘After everything went down.  I know things got ugly in here, like, right where we’re standing.  I know you saw Vonnie die and I know you were going to be next before Rick Grimes stepped in.  You’re just a temp.  You don’t need to be here, so why come back?’_

_He sighed, long and heavy, and she felt his sadness, his grief, down to her bones.  ‘Because Rick Grimes saved me.  And because of Yvonne.  Contrary to what is now a widely held belief, Alexa, this place isn’t full of bad people.  Misguided, sure, but not bad.  The real evil ones are few and far between.  I guess, I’ve enjoyed being able to do some good here for the ones that do have the potential for change, and I wanted to come back for them, because what they really need right now is that sense of routine and continuity.  And I wanted to be here for my colleagues.  We’ve all lost people, us and them, and I wanted to be a part of rebuilding it all.  Do you understand?’_

_‘I do.’_

_‘I hear it was Dixon that got you out.  He was your stab wound, right?  Nearly bled out on the table.’_

_‘That’s right.’_

_‘I guess you know they’ve got him locked up in Solitary.’_

_‘I’m aware.’_

_‘That must be hard for you.’  At the flash of alarm over Alexa’s face, he backtracked.  ‘I just mean that you saved his life, and then he saved yours.  That’s got to forge a bond or something.  I don’t understand why they’ve bundled him in with the rest of the instigators.’_

_‘Because the people at the top, the ones running this place, they don’t think there are good men in here.’  She sank down on her chair, pulling the clip from her hair so she could run her fingers through it.  ‘So, they really don’t give a damn either way.’_

_The day had dragged once Doctor Anderson had left, gripping her shoulder and giving it a tight squeeze as if hoping that might give her the strength to make it through.  In truth, she would have preferred it to be busy.  The silence gave her far too much time alone with the voices in her head and that was what she was really afraid of.  The nurse on shift was keeping to herself, head down, hard at work reorganising the store cupboard for the third time that afternoon, and Alexa could feel the sense of despair and confusion that hung so heavy in the air that she could almost taste it.  It would be a long time before things got back to normal, she knew, whatever normal even meant anymore._

_A half hour before her shift ended, there was a knock on the door of her office, and a man in guard’s uniform poked his head inside, offering an apologetic smile.  She didn’t recognise him, and figured he must be new, though who’d take on a role at Carrington so shortly after all of the drama she had no idea.  ‘Sorry, Doc, got a possible sprained elbow here for you to take a look at if you got a minute.’_

_‘Sure.  Bring him in.’_

_He stepped aside, gesturing for the inmate to enter, and Rick Grimes appeared, clutching his arm to his chest as he fixed Alexa with a pained look.  ‘Sorry to bother you, doc.  You mind?’_

_‘Not at all.  Just hop up on the table for me, okay?’_

_‘Need me to stay,’ the guard asked, and she shook her head, already heading towards the filing cabinet so she could pull Rick’s file._

_‘No, we’re good here.  Just wait outside.’  The door clicked closed, and, finding the paperwork she needed, she span back towards the inmate waiting for her attention.  ‘Alright, what happened?’_

_‘Honestly?  Had a bit of a run-in with a brick wall.’  He flexed his knuckles and for the first time she noticed that they were cracked and bloody._

_‘Is that something you want to talk about?’_

_‘Nobody’s talking about it,’ he observed, arching an eyebrow as she prodded tentatively at his fingers, hoping that they wouldn’t be broken.  ‘Isn’t that the point?  We’re all just supposed to go back to doing our time like nothing ever happened.’_

_‘You’re talking about the riot?’_

_He cocked his eye to one side, jaw working as if he was debating whether or not to continue, but he pushed on regardless.  ‘I’m glad he found you, Doc.  Daryl, I mean.  I know he was worried what might happen if he didn’t get to you in time.’_

_‘Yeah, well, a lot of good that did him,’ she commented, and Rick’s lips quirked in a smirk._

_‘I know he’d say it was worth it, if he was here.  Not sure that means anything to you right now, but you should try to hold onto it, if you can.’_

_‘It was you that saved Doctor Anderson, right?’_

_‘Yeah.’  He ducked his head, wincing when she straightened his arm and pain sparked through the joint.  ‘Yeah, that’s right.’_

_‘Can’t have been easy.  Ford’s a beast.’_

_‘It wasn’t.  But it wasn’t the doc Ford wanted.  He was just in the way.’_

_‘He was looking for me.’  Alexa hadn’t heard the full story, but she wasn’t a fool.  Ford had beef with Daryl and it wasn’t hard to see that the two of them had a connection.  He’d come here looking for her to make Daryl pay and Yvonne had gotten caught in the crossfire.  The thought made her sick.  ‘So, Yvonne… Doctor Anderson getting hurt…  It was my fault.’_

_‘No, no, don’t say that.’_

_‘Why not?  It’s true.  If I hadn’t crossed a line, if I hadn’t let myself get… Get caught up in…’  She tailed off.  ‘It’s my fault.’_

_As her guilt and grief combined within her, threatening to drag her under, she swallowed her tears, turning away to fetch a support bandage from the cupboard over her desk._

_‘Doc, that couple of days, it affected all of us.  We all had to choose a side.  Ford was never going to choose the right one, and I’m sorry that your friend paid the price for that, but he’s a killer.  I mean, a lot of us are, but he enjoys it.  If it hadn’t been her, you can sure as hell bet it would’ve been someone else.  Maybe more.  None of this is on you.’_

_‘So, why are you punching walls then, Grimes?’  Wrapping the fabric around his arm, Alexa kept her eyes on her work, though her heart was pounding in her chest.  She hadn’t wanted this, hadn’t wanted to end up having to talk about what had happened, let alone with an inmate, and the tears were still threatening, the lump in her throat almost suffocating._

_‘Because I couldn’t stop it.  Because I couldn’t stop people from dying.  Because Daryl is one of the few good guys in here and he’s paying the price for what asshole’s like Ford and Walsh have done.  And because nothing’s gonna change around here, and it’ll just keep happening again and again and again.’  Sliding from the table, he tested his arm, letting out a hiss of pain through his teeth.  ‘What’s the verdict?’_

_‘Try not to use it.’  Alexa moved on autopilot, pulling out a sling and securing it around his neck, wondering if he could hear her heart pounding in her chest at his warning.  ‘Keep it elevated.  It’ll heal.’_

_‘Thanks, Doc.’  He was already heading for the door, leaving her feeling small and afraid.  Was he right?  Was it inevitable that the instigators would try again?  Would more people die?  She racked her brains, trying to focus on the increased security currently in place, but the words on the bulletin circulated to staff stood out in her mind:  Temporary measures.  She swallowed hard, body jerking involuntarily as Rick’s hand landed on her shoulder.  ‘Hey, you okay?  I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to-’_

_‘I’m fine.’  There it was again, that damn word.  That lie.  ‘I just… I need to get out of here.  I can’t… I can’t be here.  I thought I could but I can’t.  I have to go.’_

 

* * *

 

The next day Alexa had paid a visit to her own doctor.  It hadn’t been hard to obtain a sick note, signing her off with stress for the next week.  She hadn’t even had to fake the symptoms.  The tightness in her chest had become a permanent sensation, and at times the knot in her stomach grew so tight that she couldn’t bring herself to eat.  Instead, she found herself pacing the apartment, wringing her hands together and replaying the events of that day over and over in her head: Walsh’s hands on her; the dullness of Bob’s eyes as he sprawled lifeless on the ground; running and running until her muscles burned.  She still didn’t really understand how she’d made it out alive.  She wouldn’t have, without Daryl.

Daryl.

At some point, during those seven days spent confined to her apartment, her turmoil broken only by fitful bouts of sleep, she’d reached a conclusion.  That to find peace she needed to take action, to make the riot mean something, anything.  And in that moment, it became so glaringly obvious to her that the risks hadn’t even crossed her mind.  Daryl was innocent.  He wasn’t a killer.  He was a good man locked up with monsters and he had saved her in more ways than one.  If she could get him out, if she could spirit him away and build a life with him, something new, something pure, then maybe there would be a purpose to it all, a reason for the death and the trauma.  Maybe something good could grow.

When she’d returned to work, set in her decision, her visit to see the younger Dixon in the Solitary wing only increased her resolve.  He’d looked so fragile, so broken, locked away in that coffin-like cell, and she’d wanted desperately to wrap her arms around him, to feel his body pressed to hers, but she couldn’t.  She couldn’t and it was all so wrong, so painfully wrong.  She’d made it through the rest of the day by some miracle of strength and determination, before returning to her doctor to get signed off once again.

 

* * *

 

_‘You say you’re not sleeping?’_

_Alexa fixed the young doctor in front of her with a weary stare.  Did she really need to justify that with an answer?  She’d seen her reflection in the mirror that morning: her hair was lank and greasy, in dire need of a wash; her skin had lost its healthy glow, leaving her looking gaunt, and there were dark circles under her eyes.  Sleep was a distant memory, the few hours she did manage to snatch here and there plagued by nightmares.  But, still he waited, for an answer or for proof she wasn’t sure, so she simply shrugged.  ‘I have bad dreams.’_

_‘Would you like to tell me about them?’_

_‘Not really.’_

_‘Miss Rushmore, it may help you to unburden yourself-’_

_‘It’s Doctor Rushmore,’ she reminded him.  ‘And I really don’t think talking is going to make this go away.  Somebody tried to kill me in my place of work.  My friends died in there.  I can’t just walk back in there and act like it’s all okay, because it’s not.  I have to look the men who wanted to hurt me in the eye and treat them medically, because that’s my job and I can’t afford to quit.  So, tell me, Doctor, how exactly do I let go of that burden, because I really would love to know?’_

_He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, gaze searching his office for anything but her to focus on for a moment.  ‘I understand.  I can’t imagine how traumatic that must have been for you.’_

_‘No, you can’t.’_

_‘I’m going to prescribe some sleeping pills for you, Miss- Sorry, Doctor Rushmore.  Now, I’m only going to give you a couple of weeks’ supply because they can be addictive, but I think if you manage to rest it may help you to deal with some of the stress that the incident has caused you.  I’ll give you another note signing you off for a further month, and I’d like you to come back for a review when that time is up so we can check on your progress.  How does that sound?’_

_‘That sounds fine.’_

_Later that night, Alexa wasn’t sleeping.  The pills sat untouched by her bed as she scribbled down as much as she could remember about the shift patterns of the guards.  She knew that there were three men walking the perimeter at all times, spread out so that each one would be patrolling one length of the compound.  That would leave one length always unmanned , but only for a short period and probably not long enough._

_So, another route out then.  There must be one, somewhere.  An idea sprang to life in her mind, and she noted it down in the margin in bold capital letters:  DRUGS.  Daryl had told her that the main reason the riot had kicked off was because drugs had been being brought into the prison by the guards until they’d been issued with a warning by their superiors.  She knew the sign-in process to get into the building each day, and there was no way that drugs were coming in through that route.  The searches were thorough and, often, intrusive.  Somebody would have gotten caught sooner or later, and she was sure that there was nobody on the staff stupid enough to take that risk.  So, how were they getting the goods inside the prison walls?_

_Reaching for her laptop, she flipped it open and pulled up a web browser, fingers flying over the keyboard as she searched for the city’s building department.  If she could find out who’d been the main contractor that had dealt with the construction of the prison then she may be able to pull up the blueprints for the complex.  She had to be missing something, she just had to.  But, she found, to her frustration, that the files were restricted, probably for this exact reason, she guessed.  Well, that wasn’t going to stop her.  She’d find another way.  She just needed time._

 

* * *

 

Of course, when she’d finally gained access to the blueprints she needed, the answer had been so glaringly obvious that she’d had to laugh.  After all, she’d been there, hidden there from the monsters that roamed the halls.  Daryl had taken her there and navigated the dusty corridors with confidence.  An entire wing of the building shut down due to lack of funds to rectify the disrepair that it had fallen into.  No security.  No guards.  And a whole network of utility tunnels that snaked from somewhere within their gloomy depths down into the ground and out beyond the fences.  

‘And you’re sure that’s where these tunnels come out?’ Merle asked, pointing a meaty finger at the spot on the map that she’d marked with a thick black cross.  ‘What’s there now?  Looks like woodland.’

‘I’m pretty sure,’ she confirmed, though in reality it was mostly an educated guess.  She hadn’t been able to find any prints that extended that far beyond the prison’s perimeter, so she’d just had to go with some advice offered by a polite but oblivious employee of the water company and pray.  ‘And yeah, it is right now, but some developer has just bought up that whole patch of land.  From what I can tell he’s got permission to start building houses on it, so, if we’re gonna do this, we’ve gotta do it before the project breaks ground.  As soon as they start work there’s gonna be a site office and security, and who knows what else to contend with.’

‘Ya want me to put my ass on the line for ‘pretty sure’?’  Merle’s face had contorted in a deep frown.

‘Hey, I’m pretty sure your brother put his ass on the line for a whole lot less than that.’

 

* * *

 

_‘Hello, is that Doctor Rushmore?’_

_‘Speaking.’_

_The line crackled and Alexa crossed the street, trying to get a better signal on her cell as she strained to hear the voice on the other end.  ‘Doctor Rushmore, it’s Phillip calling.  I have some news for you.’_

_A wave of adrenaline surged through her system, and Alexa reached for the nearest building to steady herself as her heart skipped a beat.  She’d almost given up hope on the private investigator she’d hired during her first period of sick leave.  She’d done it on a whim, as soon as she’d had the vague notion of carrying out this foolhardy plan in her head, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to pull it off alone, but all that had followed was silence.  Until now.  ‘Go on.’_

_‘Merle Dixon, we’ve tracked him down.’_

_‘How?’_

_‘Well, if I told you that I’d be doing myself out of a job,’ Phillip joked, his tone weirdly light-hearted given the gravity of the conversation.  ‘But I can tell you that I have a location and a phone number for you.  I can get them couriered over to you this afternoon.’_

_‘That’s… That’s great.’  Alexa could hardly find the words.  ‘You’re sure it’s him?  It’s definitely him?’_

_‘We’re sure.’  He cleared his throat, and she could hear the tippity-tap of computer keys in the background now that the line had cleared.  ‘He wasn’t an easy man to find, Doctor Rushmore, and I know it’s not my place, but I’d strongly discourage you from contacting him.’_

_‘What?  Why?’_

_‘From what my informants have told me, the man’s bad news.  He drinks, he’s caught up with drugs, he gets tossed out of a different bar every night for fighting.  As a PI, I know I should just shut up, send you the information and wait for my payment, but, as a husband and a father, I can’t help but be concerned.’_

_Alexa swallowed hard.  She’d heard Daryl talk about his brother, knew he was bad news, but somehow it made it all the more real now that she was within touching distance of reaching out to him.  Still, she couldn’t let herself be deterred.  ‘Thank you for your concern, really.  I appreciate it more than you know.  But I have important business with Mr Dixon and it’s vital that I contact him.  If it helps at all, I promise that I’ll be careful.’_

_‘It doesn’t.’  She heard him sigh, and she wondered who this man was that he could find it in his heart to worry for a stranger.  ‘But the information will be with you later on today.  Good luck, Doctor.  I hope you get what you need.’_

_‘So do I.’  
_

 

* * *

 

A beat-up jeep rolled into the motel parking lot, and Alexa watched as it parked haphazardly, a young man practically falling out from behind the wheel and racing to pull open the passenger door for an equally young woman, all long limbs and sun-bleached hair.  Their fingers laced together as he pulled her closer, hands slipping to her waist when her body came flush with his, and her heartbeat faltered as she watched them kiss, hungry and passionate in their need for each other.  In her mind, she remembered being kissed like that, the first time her lips had met Daryl’s and electricity had sparked between them.  She could understand the urgent need that had them tripping towards reception to check in, though the carefree nature about them was something her relationship was desperately lacking.  But it might not always be that way, she hoped.  If this worked, if she could get Daryl out, they could run far, far away, and they could live in the moment, just like the couple outside of her window.  If.  It was a big if.

Behind her, Merle was poring over her research once again, sipping from a beer as his eyes darted across each page.  He’d been quiet for a long time, and she’d savoured the silence, a welcome break from his unnecessary aggression, but finally he set the papers down and rubbed a hand over his thinning hair.  ‘And what comes next, Doc?  What happens if we pull this shit off and we actually manage to break my little brother outta there?  Ya know they’ll come looking for him?’

‘I know.’  She’d thought about that, long and hard, and it was the only part in her plan that was still a little hazy.  ‘I figure we’ll head south, into Mexico, out the other side.  Once we hit Panama there’s less chance that the US will be able to extradite and-’

‘And how d’ya think we’re gonna get across the border?  It ain’t just Daryl they’ll be lookin’ for, y’know?  They ain’t dumb.  They’ll figure out he didn’t get out on his own.  Ya just gonna hand over your passport ‘n’ keep them pretty little fingers crossed?’

‘No!’  She shut him down fiercely, frustrated by his condescension.  ‘No, I know we’re going to need fake IDs, okay?  New identities, too.  I’m not stupid, Merle, I just haven’t quite got there yet.  I’ve been busy trying to figure out step one.  Step two just… It’s still seemed pretty out of reach till now.’

‘Well, I’m in.  That help put it in reach?’

She nodded.  ‘It does.  Thank you.’

‘And I know a guy that can sort the IDs.  Might take a couple o’ days.’

‘That’s fine.’

‘And cash.  I’ll need cash.  That shit ain’t cheap.’

‘I have money.’

‘Good.’  He eased himself up from the bed, pacing towards her and extending his hand, tugging her upright when she took it, cautiously.  ‘Well then, looks like you ‘n’ me are staging a jailbreak, Doc.  Hope ya know what you’re letting yourself in for.’


	3. Chapter 3

‘On your feet, inmate.’

Daryl’s brow creased in a frown at the metallic clanking of the lock to his cell being pulled back, but he swung his legs off of his bunk, planting his feet on the floor as a guard stepped inside.  ‘What’s goin’ on?’

‘I said on your feet.’

With a shrug, he did as he was told.  In the several long months that he’d spent in solitary not once had that door ever been opened.  Everything he might need, the basics, essentials such as food and clean clothing, were passed to him through the hatch, and all human contact happened through the grill.  Not that there had been much of that, just a routine check-in every couple of hours to ensure that he hadn’t found some way to slit his wrists or tried to hang himself with his uniform.  It happened.  He’d heard the rumours.  Now, the guard moved forward, brandishing a pair of cuffs as he approached, wary and cautious, though Daryl held his wrists out without objection.  They were snapped into place, the metal cool against his skin, and then he found himself being tugged forward and pushed out into the corridor.  

‘What is all this?  Where ya takin’ me?’  

Despite his compliance, his muscles were threaded with tension, anxiety beginning to churn in his gut, twisting and twisting until it was almost a physical pain.  It didn’t help that the man who led him was a stranger.  Since the riot, Carrington’s staff turnover had increased tenfold, and Daryl was sure he saw new faces peering in at him every week.  This one was older than most, tall and wiry, with a greying beard.  He couldn’t help but wonder what had brought him here and, more importantly, how long he’d last.

‘Well, damn, inmate, anybody ever tell you you ask too many questions?’  Daryl wasn’t sure how to respond to that, and the silence that followed had a deep chuckle rumbling from the guard’s chest.  ‘Alright, alright.  I’ll throw you a bone since you’re so obviously about to shit your pants right now.  It’s nothing to worry about.  Doc’s asked to see you, that’s all.’

‘The doc?  Which doc?’

‘The hot one,’ the guard drawled.  Daryl felt his cheeks blaze with heat, and he dropped his gaze to the ground, focusing intently on putting one foot in front of the other as the guard laughed again.  ‘Yeah, thought that might stop you dragging your feet.  Guessing she’s got a bit of a reputation round here, huh?  Got all you guys just lining up for a physical.  Hell, I ain’t judging.  Wouldn’t mind getting a onceover from her myself.’

‘Why?’  This time the question was bitten out from between gritted teeth, and he worked his jaw, trying to force himself to relax, though he was unsure what exactly had him so on edge: the fact that Lexi had asked to see him, had somehow gained him his freedom from that goddamn cell for a few glorious minutes, or hearing her being spoken about that way, like a piece of meat.  Like Shane had treated her.  He held back a growl, glancing back up towards his captor as they pushed their way out into the yard, headed towards the main block.  

‘Hell if I know.  Something about you nearly dying a while back?  Figure she needs to make sure you’re all healed up.  No complications or whatever.’

That was bullshit and Daryl knew it.  He’d been healed up for a long while now, the only reminder of his injuries a persistent ache in his collarbone when he got himself up and moving after sitting still for too long.  He’d tried to make a point of reminding himself to shift and stretch every hour or so, but time was so hard to keep track of stuck inside those four bleak concrete walls.  His joints would seize up, the former break complaining bitterly when he finally remembered to roll his shoulders.  But Lexi would have no way of knowing that, or fixing it he was sure, so, what in the hell was she doing?

A small part of him hoped that maybe she just missed him, needed to see him as badly as he wanted to see her.  Maybe, just maybe, she lay in bed at night thinking about him, about that one magical time that she’d been his, truly his, just as he lost himself in his daydreams.  But a bigger part of him hoped that she wouldn’t be that stupid.  God, he couldn’t believe that he might get to see her, hear her voice, feel the silky softness of her skin under his fingertips, but, if she was taking a risk to get him there, then it wasn’t worth it.  He’d done his part during the riot, he’d saved her from the animals that roamed the halls, gotten her out of harm’s way, watched her back as she’d run for the exit, but he couldn’t reach her now, couldn’t tell her that he wasn’t worth her throwing her life away, that she should let him go.  Even if he could, he wasn’t sure he’d have the strength.  The very idea of it broke his heart.

As they reached the corridor that led to the medical centre, the guard cast him a sideways glance, curling his tongue behind his teeth as he grinned, and Daryl balled his hands into fists at the suggestiveness of it.  Coupled with his comments of just moments ago, the guy was painting himself in a bad light, and every ounce of that badness seemed to be aimed at Lexi.  But then Daryl could see the swinging doors before him, smell the clinical cleanliness that was a stark contrast to the rest of the prison, and he could feel her presence, calming him, buoying him up so that he relaxed, fingers unfurling as he was guided into the waiting room.

It was empty save for the two of them, and quiet.  Too quiet.  As he stood in the centre of the space, ignoring the chairs to his left, he peered into the ward to see a single nurse folding clean sheets, but it was otherwise unoccupied.  He remembered the lull before the riot, the emptiness that left him and Lexi to while away endless hours together, talking and playing cards, but he knew that this quiet had nothing to do with anticipation, preparation.  It was borne of grief and regret, and he hated that she had to work in this atmosphere, day in, day out.  It felt thick and leaden, and he wondered if she really was okay.  He was pretty sure she couldn’t be.

Everything else though remained the same: the torturous plastic seats that ran along one wall; the tall cupboards that stood opposite, stocked, he knew, with bandages and dressings.  The same four beds lined the ward, one of which he’d spent so long in he’d be surprised if he hadn’t left a permanent dent in the mattress.  It was reassuring in its familiarity and he sucked in a deep breath as he continued to take it in.  

His attention was torn from his surroundings by the creak of the door to the doctor’s office as it was pulled open from the inside, and his heartbeat faltered as time slowed.  The guard stepped in front of him, blocking his view, so that he had to crane his neck to see her as she appeared.  Lexi.

‘Got Dixon for you, doc,’ the guard spoke, and Daryl knew he wasn’t imagining the colour that stained her cheeks as her eyes met his.  'You ready for him yet?’

'Yeah, I-I’ll see him now.’  She stepped aside, motioning them through with a raised arm and Daryl followed the uniformed back into the place where he knew Alexa spent most of her time.  

In his mind, he flashed back when he’d first been brought to her, not long after he’d arrived, beat-up and hurting and alone.  So damn alone.  The gentleness of her hands as they roamed over him, testing his ribs for breaks and patching up his cuts and bruises, had been enough to break him, break down the walls that he’d spent so long constructing, and her gaze had been sincere as she’d questioned him, non-judgemental, just kind and trusting.  And that smile… Damn, that smile.   A part of him had wanted to hide his face, knowing that he was beneath her, that he wasn’t fit to have that sort of care and attention lavished on him, but at the same time it had been hard for him to tear his eyes away.  She’d looked so beautiful.  Just as she did now.

Taking a seat in the chair beside her desk, Daryl watched as Lexi busied herself fetching his file.  To anyone that didn’t know her, she would look completely at ease, going about her work, moving around the office as if it were just another day on the job.  But he knew better.  He could see the tension in her jaw, the way her fingers trembled just a little when she reached for her pen; noticed how her foot jiggled nervously when she settled herself on the chair beside him, crossing one leg over the other.

The guard was still standing in the doorway, hovering, eyes roaming from the tip of her high-heeled shoe up the exposed length of her calf, until she cleared her throat and interrupted his blatant appreciation.

'You want me to stay, doc?  I’ve heard what they say about this one and, trust me, I am more than happy to keep an eye on things if it’d make you feel more comfortable.’

Only Daryl caught the subtle roll of her eyes before she turned to him, pasting a forced smile onto her face.  'Thank you, Negan, but I think I’ll manage.  You can wait outside.’

For a moment, he hesitated, and Daryl thought he might refuse to go, even as he tried to drive him from the room with the power of his mind, but then he nodded in resignation, turning his back and disappearing from sight as the door clicked closed behind him.

Silence.  If he could have read her thoughts, Daryl was sure that Lexi would have been doing the same as he was, gaze raking over her face, drinking in every detail.  Her eyes were wide and still that same vivid green that had sucked him in so easily, but they were shadowed by dark circles, and he was sure her cheekbones were more prominent than they had been before, bordering on gaunt.  Her lips were thin, drawn tight, though finally the corners quirked in a grin as she reached out a hand towards him, lacing her fingers through his own and squeezing them tightly.  

‘You’re here.’

He nodded, struck dumb just by the sound of her voice, before he recovered himself and coughed to dislodge the lump in his throat.  ‘Looks like.  What am I doin’ here, doc?’

He saw the glance she snuck towards the door, saw her draw in a deep breath that seemed to boost her, squaring her shoulders as she drew herself upright and fixed him with a determined look.  ‘I’m making good on my promise.’

He frowned, confusion slowing his brain down by a beat, before he heard the echo of some of the last words she’d spoken to him reverberating through his head.

_I’m talking about getting you out of here ‘n’ gettin’ the hell out of dodge._

‘Ah, Lex, ya can’t…’

_I’ll tell Merle you said hello._

‘Ya didn’t…’

She nodded.  ‘He’s waiting for us, your brother.  He’s been helping me.  We’ve got a plan.’

‘Lex-’

‘We’ve got a plan, Daryl, but we’ve got to do it now, okay?  We’re running out of time, so I need you to trust me.  Can you do that?’

He shrugged helplessly, mind reeling.  ‘I-I don’t… I mean, I can’t…  What the hell are ya thinkin’, Lex?  Yer a damn doctor.  Ya can’t stage a jailbreak.’

‘Wanna bet?’  She cocked her head to one side in a challenge, eyes flashing.  

‘Ya’ve got too much to lose.’

‘Too much to lose?’  She scoffed.  ‘Daryl, I’ve spent the past few months signed off with stress because just setting foot in this place makes me feel sick.  I can’t concentrate.  I can’t sleep.  I’ve lost it all already.  I can’t stay here, not after what happened.  Every time I hear somebody outside my office, in my head it’s Shane, and I just… I go to pieces.  And then Rick said it was bound to happen again, another riot, more death, and I can’t… I can’t handle that, Daryl, okay?’  His eyes narrowed as she went on.  ‘The only thing that’s been keeping me going is focusing on you, on getting you out of here.  I know you’re innocent, and I know that I want to be with you, but that can’t happen while you’re locked away in solitary.  So, me and Merle, we’re gonna get you out of here.  It’s why I’m here, it’s the only reason.  Now, are you with me or not?’

Daryl swallowed hard, hating the pain that dripped from every word she spoke.  He’d had no idea that things had been so hard for her, though of course it explained the atmosphere he’d felt as soon as he’d walked in.  And he hated himself for not being there for her, even though he’d had no choice.  She looked haunted, he realised now, plagued by the ghosts of what might have been and what could be again, and he owed it as much to her as to himself to let her see this crazy plan through, whatever the outcome.  ‘Alright.’

‘Alright?’

‘Alright.  What’s the plan?’

‘There’s no time.’  She was already half-distracted, rifling through her handbag as he sat uselessly and watched.  ‘You’re just gonna have to do as I say, okay?’

He huffed in frustration but nodded all the same.  ‘Fine.  But, Lex, if this goes wrong, I’m gonna grab ya ‘n’ tell ‘em that I made ya do this, alright?  I ain’t gonna let ya take the fall if this doesn’t work out.’

‘Daryl-’

‘Nah, ya gotta promise me that you’ll play along or I’m gonna go out there and get that asshole guard to take me back to my cell, ya hear me?’

‘Fine.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Yes, okay.’  Resuming her rummaging, she finally pulled free a small vial of liquid, handing it to him to hold as she pushed herself to her feet and crossed the room to the cupboard on the other side, heels clicking as she went.

‘What’s this?’

‘It’s what they prescribed to help me sleep, with a couple of modifications,’ she explained, turning back to him with a syringe dangling from her fingers.  ‘I didn’t have time to sleep anyway, trying to get all of this tied down, so I figured I’d find a better use for it.’

Taking the vial from him, she proceeded to fill the syringe with its contents, before tucking the empty container back into her bag.

‘And what use is that?’ Daryl asked, curious now as she inspected the needle, having visions of her drugging him and trying to drag his ass out of there unnoticed, though he should really have had more faith in her cunning.

She smiled.  ‘Negan!  Officer, can you come in here for a minute?’

Her voice carried through the empty medical centre, and, seconds later, the door burst open, dark eyes staring around in panic before focusing in on Daryl.  ‘What is it, doc?  He hurt you?  ‘Cause I swear, I’ll bust his balls if he so much as-’

‘No, no, it’s not that,’ she cut him off, waving her hand towards the filing cabinet tucked into the corner.  ‘It’s the cabinet.  It opened fine a minute ago, but now I think the drawer’s jammed or something.  Can you take a look for me?’  

If the situation hadn’t been so serious and fraught with tension, Daryl might have actually laughed at the way she fluttered her eyelashes, working the helpless lady in need angle for all she was worth.  

It worked.  The guard flashed her a devilish smile, all blinding white teeth and dimples, as he strode across the room towards her, passing just a little too close as he made his way to the drawer in question.  His long fingers slipped under the lip, tugging on it hard, and it flew open, sending him reeling backwards in surprise.

‘Guns a blazing!  Thought you said it was jammed, doc!’

He’d half-turned towards her when Lexi took her chance and struck.  Daryl’s jaw dropped as she launched herself towards the guard, arm raised, bringing the needle down hard in the crook of his neck.  His eyes went wide as she depressed the syringe, flooding his bloodstream with the meds, and then he slumped forwards, hitting his head on the open drawer as he fell to the floor.

‘Shit, Lex.’  Daryl was on his feet now, unable to believe what she’d just done, for him, for this crazy plan that she’d spent the past long months concocting.  ‘Did ya kill him?’

‘No,’ she reassured him.  ‘But he’ll be out for a while.’

‘Yer crazy!’

‘C’mon, we gotta move.’  Slipping out of her heels, she retrieved some sneakers from beneath her desk, jamming her feet into them before flashing him a nervous grin.  ‘Hope you’re still in shape, Dixon, ‘cause we’ve got a whole lot of running ahead of us.’


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m still obsessed with this AU and I can’t believe that the sequel to In Dark Corners is already over! Thank you so much to everybody that’s stuck with Alexa and Daryl. I really hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have! This is a loooong chapter and there’s a lot of action, so happy reading, guys. Here we go…

It took every ounce of courage that Alexa had to push herself up on her tiptoes and press a single soft kiss to Daryl’s lips, hovering there for a moment to breathe him in as if she could borrow a little of his strength to get her through, whilst he regarded her through wide eyes, still unable to believe exactly what was going down.  Negan’s body lay sprawled on the ground beside the filing cabinet, a large bruise already blooming on his forehead, and she knew that time was of the essence as she turned away and crept towards the door, trusting that the man she’d come to love was close behind.  The small window set into the wood allowed her to peer out into the waiting area, and she took a moment to steel herself as her gaze swept left and right, checking for any sign of the nurse she knew was on duty. **  
**

‘She was in the ward when I came in,’ Daryl murmured, leaning over her to glance in that direction.  'Could see her folding sheets.  Don’t know where she went after though.’

'Looks clear,’ Alexa observed, sucking in a deep breath as his hand found hers, fingers lacing together and squeezing tightly.  'You ready for this?’

'No,’ came the honest answer, and then she was pulling open the door and stepping through it, out into the waiting area and the risks that lay beyond.  It felt odd to her, forcing herself to stride forward with confidence, moving as she always did, when she felt as though she should be creeping about on the balls of her feet, stealthy and ready to flee.  But to do that would only draw unnecessary attention if they were to be seen and so she made her way past the line of plastic chairs unhurriedly, tugging Daryl with her as she went.

They’d almost reached the door when she heard the voice from behind her.  'Doctor Rushmore?  Is everything okay?’

Cursing under her breath, she yanked her fingers free from the inmate’s as though she’d been burnt and plastered an exasperated smile on her face as she span towards the nurse who was now standing in the doorway of the ward, eyes flicking between them in uncertainty.  'Everything’s fine, Tara.  I’m just trying to track down the guard that brought Dixon in.  He seems to have wandered off while I was doing my examination.’  She rolled her eyes.  'You know what it’s like with all the new staff.  No time to get them trained up before they put them on the job.’

'Right.’  The nurse’s gaze moved south, falling on the battered sneakers on Alexa’s feet, so different from the smart heels she usually wore.  'Okay.  Do you want me to go see if I can-’

'No!’  The word burst from her mouth before she could stop it, suspiciously desperate in tone, and Tara’s lips drew into a thin, white line as she nodded slowly, the cogs in her brain visibly working overtime as she sought to understand the situation.  'No!  I mean, it’s okay.  I’ll just take Daryl and we’ll go find him.  I’m sure he can’t have gone far.’

'Doctor Rushmore?’  The nurse’s voice was quieter now, her words more considered.  'I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.  Really, if you just wait here with the inmate, I can-’

'Tara, please.’  How could it all be going so wrong already?  Alexa could tell from the look on the other woman’s face that she’d caught on to the fact that there was something going on and, with Negan knocked out in her office and no idea just how long it might be until he woke up, she couldn’t waste time trying to dig herself out of this hole.  'Look, I really need to step out for a while, okay?  I’ll explain when I get back.’

'I’m not sure I can let you do that.’

'You can.’

'But I heard what happened to you before.  People round here talk.  And I know how long you were signed off with stress or something.  I don’t want you to do anything stupid, doc, or I’ll never forgive myself and-’

She was cut off when Daryl made his move.  He’d been inching impossibly slowly around the room as the women spoke, until he was level with Tara, just a shadow in her peripheral vision, and now he lurched forward, wrapping a strong arm around her throat.  Her eyes widened in shock as he increased the pressure on her airway, fingers scrabbling at the seam where his skin met hers as she fought for breath.  

'Daryl-’  The fear in Alexa’s voice was very real, but he shot her a tight smile as he slowly lowered the nurse’s body to the ground.

’S'fine, Lex, alright?  She’s like the guard.  Not dead, just sleepin’.  She’ll be fine in a while.’

'Hopefully by then we’ll be long gone.’

Confident that Tara had slipped into the peaceful black, Daryl finally relinquished his grasp and climbed to his feet.  'Well, we better get movin’ then.  C'mon, where we headed?’

 

*****

 

Out of the medical centre, along the corridor, a left, a right, another left.  Alexa led Daryl through the familiar maze, focusing her attention on the solid warmth of his hand in hers to deter her mind from straying to the last time they’d travelled those same halls together, their route reversed, their pace far more hurried though no less fraught with fear.  Then they’d been running to escape the monstrous violence of the inmates contained inside.  Now she was seeking to secure the safe escape of an inmate that the world believed to be a murderer.  It hadn’t come as a surprise to her at all when he’d finally told her the truth, even less so now that she’d actually met Merle, the real killer in the family.  And it was that knowledge that spurred her onwards, towards the library, a heavy sigh of relief falling from her lips when the double doors came into view.

'Wait here,’ she instructed firmly, waiting for a sharp nod from Daryl before she pushed her way inside.  Just as she’d hoped, the room was empty.  She’d purposefully timed her plan to take place during the dinner shift, a period when most of the population would be either in the diner or their cells, and so far it had proved to be the right choice, not a single other person crossing their paths since they’d left Negan and Tara unconscious.  That had been hard enough, filling her with a leaden sense of guilt, and she desperately wanted to avoid hurting anybody else.

Sensing Daryl’s eyes on her through the window in the door, she raised a hand to beckon him through, studiously avoiding looking at the shelving unit that Shane had pinned her against as his eyes had roamed her body.  Instead, she started across the room, skirting around the low reading table towards a heavy metal set of shelves on the other side.

'That’s where we’re headed?’ Daryl asked, catching her up and taking hold of one end of the shelves.  'Through the old storage units?  It’s all closed off, Lex.  Ya can’t get out that way.’

'Yeah, we can.’  Her voice was strained as, together, they shifted the weighty piece of furniture out of the way of the concealed exit behind, and she grimaced as it scraped loudly against the floor.  'Trust me, I’ve studied the blueprints for this place.’

'Ya sure?’  He still looked uncertain, hesitant, and she nodded, reaching for him once again, pulling him towards her so she could gaze up into his crystal blue eyes and remind herself of why she was taking this risk.  Now that they’d made it this far, it had all begun to feel scarily real, the danger forming a lump in her throat.  'If yer wrong all we’re doin’ is boxin’ ourselves in.’

'I’m sure, I promise.  It’s how they were getting the drugs in.  There’s a utility tunnel that comes up a few miles outside of the fences.  Merle’s waiting for us on the other end.’

'He is?’

'Yep.  So, you coming or what?’  

For a horrifying moment she thought he might say no as he hesitated once again, and she knew it was her that he worried for.  That was only confirmed when he finally spoke.  'Ya know I can make it from here?  Ya could go back, pretend like y'ain’t had nothin’ to do with any of this.’

'Until Negan wakes up and tells everyone otherwise,’ Alexa reminded him.  'Plus, you don’t know the way and where the tunnel starts.’  She swallowed hard.  'And the whole point of all of this is that I want to be with you, Daryl.  I want to start over with you, build a life together somewhere far away from all of this.  If you don’t want that, you should tell me now.’

'Course I want it.’ His tone was sincere.  'Alright, lead the way, doc.  Let’s go find my brother.’

 

*****

 

Alexa had spent hours poring over the plans of the prison layout, committing them to memory ready for this moment, but the reality of transferring the sketched maps on paper to the concrete walls and winding corridors of the gloomy, closed-off block was harder than she’d imagined.  Three times she took a wrong turning and they had to backtrack, retracing their steps until she found her way again, leading Daryl deeper into the bowels of the building.  And then, around the next corner, her foot caught on a small lip and she almost shrieked in delight.

The hatch was buried beneath a thick layer of dust, and she had to step aside to let Daryl wrestle with the rusted latch before finally managing to haul it open.  It was dark down below, and the smell that wafted up was damp and musty, causing them both to wrinkle their noses as they peered down at the ladder that disappeared into the black.  

‘Ya sure about this?’

She nodded.  ‘We’ve gotta do this, Daryl.  It’s the only way.’

‘How deep does it go?’

‘Only one way to find out.’

Their eyes locked, and her breath caught in her throat at the unwavering trust she saw in his gaze, the belief that maybe she could actually do this.  After his initial uncertainty, and then his concern at the risk she was taking, that this could ruin her career, her life, he was now with her completely, and on the other end of the tunnel, freedom awaited them.  What would it be like, she wondered, to wake up to him every day?  What would it be like to cook him dinner, to come home to him after a long day at work, to curl up on the couch and cuddle into his side, his arm strong around her?  For a moment she could see it, picture it as clear as day in her head: she’d stroll into the kitchen, pulling her hair free from its clasp to see him leaning against the counter with a beer swinging from his fingers.  He’d smile as she drew nearer, setting his drink down so he could reel her in, ducking his head to press heated kisses against her throat.

‘How was your day?’ he’d ask, and she’d shrug.

‘It was fine. I missed you though.’

‘Missed ya too.’

‘And the car’s making that weird noise again.’

‘I’ll take a look at it.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Course.  Anything for you, Lex, ya know that.’

And then he’d kiss her properly, long and smooth, until she couldn’t think straight and her breath was coming in short gasps, her fingers fisting the fabric of his shirt as she sought to keep herself upright when her knees were on the brink of collapse.

‘I love you.’

‘’N’ I love ya right back.’

She was torn from her imagination by the faint echo of footsteps somewhere in the distance, and her eyes widened as Daryl shot a dark glance over his shoulder.  ‘C’mon, you first.  Gotta move.’

Heart hammering in her chest, she turned so that her back was to the hole, inching towards the edge, dropping into a crouch as she reached it so that she could dangle one foot down towards the ladder, finding the rung and steadying herself before doing the same with the other.  Her hands were slippery with the nervous sweat that prickled her palms as she began to descend, and the little light that had guided her way was blocked out by the shadow of Daryl’s body as he too lowered himself through the hole, pausing only to pull the hatch closed behind him.

‘Lex, ya good?’

‘Uh huh.’  Blind now, she carried on, wishing she had the courage to reach for the small flashlight that was tucked into the band of her bra, but too afraid to let go of the ladder for even a second in case she should fall.  She could hear the clank of Daryl’s boots as he got nearer, and she used that to pace herself until her feet hit solid ground.  ‘You’re nearly there, Daryl.  We made it.’

Alexa’s fingers fumbled with the buttons of her shirt as she fought to undo the top few, digging her hand under the soft fabric until she could reach the flashlight and flicking it on as soon as she’d freed it from the elastic that held it in place.  It illuminated Daryl’s face as he reached her side and turned towards her, brows knitted together in a frown.

‘Ain’t out yet.’  

Above them, the footsteps that they’d heard before drew closer, and Alexa turned the beam of light onto their surroundings, shining it over the small area they now stood in.  Two tunnels led off of it, both worryingly narrow, stretching out in vastly different directions, and she squeezed her eyes shut, turning so that she stood with her back against the ladder as she tried to remember the maps spread out in front of her on her bed.  Two tunnels, one that led back under the prison, and one that ran immediately across the back yard and under the fence, snaking beneath the houses that bordered the town and off into the forest.  But which was which?

‘Where we goin’, Lex?’

‘It’s that one.’  She span to her left and nodded towards the tunnel immediately in front of her, gnawing on her bottom lip as she took in the small diameter.  ‘The other one was blocked off after some flooding, God, must be thirty years ago now.  Maybe more.  But the other was left clear.  Not enough time and money to deal with it, I guess.  That’ll get us out.’

‘Ya sure?  Looks pretty tight.’

‘It is for the first hundred yards,’ she admitted.  ‘But I have all your measurements on file and you should fit.  Which means we both should.’  Claustrophobia nagged at the calm facade she was trying to maintain and she shoved it down, taking a deep breath to slow her racing pulse.  ‘It widens out after that.  We should be able to walk the rest of the way.  We’ve just gotta get through this bit.’

 

*****

 

It was tight and the concrete was damp beneath Alexa’s knees, rough and scraping as she dragged herself through the tiny space.  Her fingers were bleeding, and there was a stinging sensation on her shins that told her that every move was rubbing at the skin, every tiny bump and rut in the tunnel tearing at her flesh.  Behind her, she could hear Daryl’s soft grunts as he followed, shoulders catching against the walls as he fought to fit his broad bulk through the narrow channel.  

‘Are you okay?’ she asked, her voice breathy with exhaustion and the panic that threatened to overwhelm her, but the only response she received was ground out through gritted teeth.

‘Keep goin’.’

So she did.  Time ceased to hold any meaning as she wriggled along, cursing when a nail broke far too low down for comfort and gasping in pain when her hair caught on a thin length of metal that protruded from the ceiling.  And then when she reached out a hand to drag herself along another inch or two, suddenly there was nothing in front of her, and she tumbled forward, landing with a dull thud on yet more concrete a few feet below.  

‘Daryl, look out.’

Forewarned by her less than graceful fall, Daryl was prepared for the sudden widening of the tunnel, and he leapt down with ease, landing beside her and immediately pulling her into his arms, eyes raking over her as he checked her for injury.  ‘Y’alright?’

‘I’m fine.’

‘Ya scared the hell outta me.’

‘I promise, I’m fine.’  A loud bang reverberated along the tunnel, and she forced herself to her feet, her muscles complaining bitterly after so long spent cramped up in the confined space.  They were now faced with a fork in the path, two wider tunnels that split off from the chamber they now stood in.  

‘Doc, sounds like there might be someone else down here.’

‘What?  No.’  Letting her eyes flicker shut again, she combed her memory for the faded pencil lines and scrawled figures of the prison plans.  ‘No, we’re okay.  It’ll be okay.  It’s this way.  We’ve gotta go this way.’

She started towards the tunnel on the right, but Daryl held her back, thick fingers wrapping around her wrist.  ‘Still not too late for ya to turn back, Lex.’

‘I’m doing this.’  Another bang and Daryl nodded, hand slipping down to take hers.  ‘Please, Daryl.  Let’s just get out of here, okay?  Let’s just go.’

They ran.

 

*****

 

After a while it became impossible to tell whether it was the thud of their own footsteps that Alexa could hear, deafeningly loud this far beneath the ground, or if it was the sound of her own heart pounding, or perhaps a guard pursuing them, ready to shoot them down as soon as they got close enough.  The tunnel wasn’t straight, sharp corners forcing them this way and that, the gradient steepening as they got closer to the surface, slowing them down, when they needed to move faster, push themselves harder, cover more ground, quicker, quicker.  The damp smell grew stronger, and their footsteps began to spray water as they thundered along, and then there was daylight, fading fast but beautiful in what it meant: freedom, victory, escape.  

‘Stop right there!’  

Alexa’s feet skidded in the moisture that covered the ground as she came to an abrupt halt, Daryl’s arm snaking out to catch her around the waist when the sudden movement almost toppled her.  She span, panting, to look back the way they’d come, squinting into the shadows as a lone figure appeared, his gun raised in front of him.  ‘Mike?’

‘Heard you were back, doc.  Gotta admit, I figured it had something to do with Dixon, but I never thought you’d be this stupid.’

Mike knew better than most the bond that Alexa shared with Daryl.  He’d been there when Daryl had come to her rescue in the library.  He’d shared part of their escape, before going his own way when Daryl had insisted that it was more important to keep her safe than to head out to check on the rest of the staff.  He’d owed Daryl his life, and he’d repaid that debt when he’d let Alexa in to see the inmate when he’d been locked in Solitary, and, of course, he knew about the old storage units through which they’d made their escape.  It had been him that had told them about them on that horrific day.  

‘Mike, please,’ she began now, raising her hands as she tried to calm the tension that had sprung up between them.  She could feel Daryl stiffen beside her, his muscles tensing as he prepared himself to shove her behind him, to protect her, but she couldn’t let it come to that.  ‘Let me explain.’

‘You know, Officer Daniels, God rest his soul, when he told me about the two of you, I thought he was crazy.  And then I saw you together on the day of the riot and I thought, hell, at least you seemed to bring out the good in the guy.  Saved my life, so I had to go with it, right?  But really, Alexa?  A jailbreak?  What part of you actually made you think this was a good idea?’

‘He’s innocent, Mike, I swear to you.  Daryl’s never killed anybody.’

‘He told you that?’

‘He did.’

‘And you believed him?’

She fell silent, searching for something to say, anything that might calm the young guard’s anger.  Instead, Daryl spoke up.

‘How’d ya know we were gone?’  Alexa glanced up at him, confused.  ‘I mean, ain’t no alarms goin’ off so word ain’t out yet.  So how’d ya track us down?’

‘I was headed to the infirmary.  Found Negan and the nurse.  Saw your notes on the Doctor’s desk.  Didn’t take a genius to put two and two together.’  Mike took a step forward, his hold on his weapon steady as Alexa and Daryl edged back.  ‘But I haven’t forgotten what you did for me.  And it’s not like you’ve killed anyone back there.  So I thought I’d try and find you myself, give you a chance to make this right.’

‘I ain’t goin’ back.’

‘Alexa-’

‘He’s right, Mike,’ she repeated Daryl’s assertion.  ‘We’re not going back.  We’ve come too far.  You don’t have to do this.  You can let us go.  You’ll never hear from us again, I swear.  Nobody will ever have to know what happened here.’

‘You can’t ask me to do this, doc.’

‘I know.  I know it’s too much, but I don’t have another choice.  Please.  Just let us go.’

His jaw worked as if he was going to say something else, plead with her again to chance her mind, but no sound came out, and Daryl gave a sharp tug on her arm, lowering his voice as he growled, ‘C’mon.’

‘Daryl, what if he-’

‘Gotta take the risk, right?  He knows what I did for him, he knows y’ain’t a bad person.  So, c’mon, let’s get outta here.’

Reluctantly, and casting one last glance back over her shoulder at the guard whose finger was twitching over the trigger of his pistol, Alexa turned her back and let Daryl lead her away.

A shot went off.

Behind them, Mike dropped.

‘What the-’  Alexa was spinning round, mouth open, a desperate cry falling from her lips as she took in the stricken body of the guard.  ‘No!’

She ran to his side, dropping to her knees as she pressed her hands to the wound in his chest, the blood warm and thick as it coated her fingers.  His eyes were open, glazed as the life slipped away from him.  And then a deep chuckle brought her head up, drawing her gaze to the entrance of the tunnel where, previously, there had been a metal grill.  Now there was a familiar figure, tall and broad, a malicious smile twisting his lips as he took in the scene before him.  

‘Now, I ain’t one to blow my own trumpet, but even I gotta say that was one hell of a shot.’  Merle turned his attention to Daryl, who was shaking his head in disbelief.  ‘Am I right, baby brother?’

‘What the hell did ya do, Merle?’ Daryl snarled, advancing on the elder Dixon with his fists balled at his sides.  ‘Ya didn’t have to kill him?’

‘Oh, didn’t I?  ‘Cause he looked like he was about ready to pump a whole loada bullets into your sorry ass.  I think what ya mean to say is thank you.’

‘I ain’t thanking you for shit.  Ya have any idea what ya just did?’

‘What I had to, Darylena, what I had to.’  His voice dropped, tone becoming colder, harsher, as he realised that Daryl wasn’t going to back down.  ‘Just like I did with our old man.  S’what I do, little brother, or haven’t ya got the message yet?  I kill to save your ass, time and time again.’

Despite the fact that sometimes it seemed as if their entire relationship had been spent running, Alexa had never seen Daryl move as fast as he did right then, flinging himself across the distance that separated him from his brother and landing a stinging blow to his cheek.  She could only watch as the stockier man reeled, almost falling, before recovering himself enough to take a swing of his own.  As they tussled, her eyes fell back to the lifeless body beside her, and she blocked them out, wishing that things could be different, as her fingertips hovered over Mike’s eyes, drawing them closed as gently as she could, before staggering to her feet and towards the warring men.

‘Stop!  Alright, that’s enough!  Just stop!’  The emotion in her voice had them springing apart, and she swiped at a stray tear that had leaked out and down her cheek, marching past them and out into the forest.  

The fresh air that she sucked into her lungs was so overwhelming that she almost collapsed at the sheer bliss of it, but there was no time for that.  It wouldn’t be long before somebody realised that she and Daryl were missing, and they now had a body to add to their list of crimes.  

‘Merle, you got the truck?’

‘Yep.  Parked up a half mile from here by the ol’ Wilson farm.  Looks like they cleared outta there in a hurry.’

‘Probably when the planning was granted for whatever this place is gonna be,’ she deduced, thinking as she looked around at the trees that towered over her what a shame it would be to see them all felled to be replaced by however-many identikit houses.  ‘Give me the keys.’

‘Nah, I’m drivin’.’

‘Give them to me, Merle.’

‘Ya think I’m just gonna-’

‘Your pupils are pinpricks,’ she snapped, growing impatient already as he squared his shoulders defensively.  ‘Now, give the keys to me or Daryl, or we’ll leave your sorry ass here.’

‘Ya gonna let her talk to me like that, brother?’ Merle appealed to Daryl, but he only held out his hand, snatching the keys from Merle’s grasp when he finally gave them up.  ‘Ungrateful, s’what it is.  The pair of ya, usin’ me for whatever ya can get, just to ditch me when your out ‘n’ free.’

‘We’re not free yet,’ Alexa pointed out.  ‘Not by a long shot.  We’ve got a long way to go before we’re anywhere close to being free, and we can’t afford to make any mistakes now, Merle.  Getting high and shooting a guard, that’s a pretty big mistake.’

‘Well, fine then, if ya think your better off without me.  Just go!  Get outta here!  See how long ya last without ol’ Merle lookin’ out for ya!’

Alexa and Daryl exchanged a loaded look, and then they turned together and disappeared into the woods as darkness fell.

 

*****

 

Alexa’s sweet, floral scent filled Daryl’s lungs as she leant forward to kiss him, her curtain of fiery copper hair blocking out the rest of the world as it hung around their faces, hiding them away in the spot where they lay in the overgrown meadow.  The grass was long enough that it had concealed them completely when they sank into it, and long hours of pent-up adrenaline and need had been released as she crawled over him, peppering him with kisses that had promised so much more, her hands smoothing over every inch of him as she stripped away his stolen clothes.  The last time they’d been together, it had been hurried, urgent, but this time felt different: there were no monsters outside of their door, no tight space pushing them together.  There was just the sky, dotted with a million tiny stars, and acres of land stretching off towards the horizon.

They’d ditched the truck a couple of towns ago, afraid that the plates might be recognised, especially when Alexa had admitted that she wasn’t sure exactly where Merle had gotten it.  They’d pushed on on foot for as long as they could, but, when they’d ventured into the open countryside and the streetlights had become a distant memory as the darkness had closed in, they’d decided to stop, lay low for the night and head off again at first light.  They were heading South, to the Mexican border and then beyond, with the fake IDs and passport that Alexa had tucked away in the bag she’d given to Merle to stow behind the passenger seat.  Now, it cushioned Daryl’s head as she began to move, her pace lazy and indulgent, as if she was revelling in every glorious second of them being joined.  Daryl could only watch in awe as the moonlight painted her creamy skin a milky white, his fingers biting in to the soft flesh of her hips as her lips parted in a dreamy smile, her head tipped back as pleasure flooded her veins.  

If somebody had told him a week ago that he’d be out here, free in the countryside, drinking in the vision of his girl as she rode to her end, he’d have scoffed and told them they were crazy.  Hell, he’d done pretty much exactly that when she’d told him what she had planned, but here he was.  He’d put his faith in her and, for once in his life, he’d been right to do it.  She hadn’t let him down, and he had a feeling she never would.  Merle was another story, and he’d deal with the guilt that their last exchange had left him with another day, when life felt a little less than perfect.  For now, he was in heaven.

As he tumbled over the edge, a loud grunt slipping through his gritted teeth, he clung to her, no longer seeing her as something fragile that he needed to protect, but as a warrior who had his back just as he had hers.  He could feel her trembling, and he tugged her down beside him as the waves of overwhelming bliss ebbed away, leaving them curled together in the darkness, homeless and aimless, with nothing but each other.

‘I love you,’ she whispered, and he could have sworn his heart actually shattered.  

‘Love ya right back.’  He shook his head.  ‘What ya did for me, Lex, what ya’ve given up…  I ain’t ever gonna be able to make that up to ya.’

‘You don’t have to,’ she reassured him, shifting closer still, her hand resting over the steady thud-thud rhythm of his heart.  ‘All I want is you, Daryl.  I feel better now, safer, than I have in a really long time.  I know that’s ridiculous.’

‘Ain’t ridiculous.  But it ain’t over, ya know that right?  Ain’t over ‘til we get over the border, make it somewhere where they can’t touch us.’

‘I know.’  She sighed.  ‘It’s only just beginning really, isn’t it?’

Daryl had a feeling that she was right.


End file.
